Residents looking for a lower price on toilet installation will now have to mail in their own rebates, rather than getting automatic discounts from contractors.

The change comes in the wake of complaints from participating agencies, according to officials with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Complaints poured in when residents were approached by contractors who may have been unlicensed. Residents were told new laws required them to install high-efficiency toilets (HETs), which use less than three gallons per flush.

The contractors then offered to install the new toilets for free and got residents to sign off on allowing them to collect up to $165 per toilet in rebates from the MWD.

The toilet installation is not required, and the incentive program is meant only to encourage homeowners to save water.

“Over the course of the last five months or so, we’ve been receiving complaints or concerns,” Conservation Program Manager Andy Hui said. “We felt it was perhaps best to change the policy and not provide incentives to contractors.”

Metropolitan Spokesman Bob Muir said the change was requested by member agencies, smaller water districts who received complaints from users about the door-to-door solicitors.

Valerie Howard, spokeswoman for Central Basin Municipal Water District, said her agency hopes the change will make it difficult to use the program to scam homeowners.

“This is just an additional protection for residents so they won’t be victimized,” Howard said.

Earlier this month, the Whittier Daily News reported that contractors who appeared to be unlicensed were operating under the names “Greentide” and “Buy and Large” were pressuring residents in the area to replace their water-guzzling commodes.

Hui said the policy was officially changed last week. Although a rebate of $100 is still available, residents must mail in their request for a check themselves. The checks arrive four to six weeks after a rebate request is received, Hui said.

The new policy will mean that contractors may not give a discount to consumers because they cannot collect a rebate in the homeowner’s name.

The revised program makes allowances for commercial businesses and landlords for large complexes to operate through a contractor, to save up-front costs.

For more information on how to claim a rebate, visit www.waterwise.com